Life Among the Dead
by Beta Genius
Summary: The dojo agrees to take in two immegrants,but they seem stranger than they first appear.One has dreams of deaths and those responsible begin to disappear,yet cannot speak. However,what will happen when they find out kenshin is the battousai? Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Life Among the Dead

At least it was a sunny day, or it was most likely they would've all been gone by now. They had been standing at the pier for hours, seeing all the foreigners walk by and not once, not _once_ spotting anyone close to what the visitors had been described as. There had been a want ad in the newspapers for someone who would take in a wealthy immigrant from Germany, and being one of the observant, Kaoru mailed out the invitation for the new arrivals to come stay at the dojo. She had gotten a letter back saying that on this day the immigrant would arrive and pay her for her kind generosity. But now, with all this waiting, she wasn't quite sure if it was worth it.

"How much did they say they'd give you for this?" Yahiko questioned, laying back with his hands behind his head, yawning.

"Does it matter? Haven't you ever heard of the word 'kindness' before?" she said, scolding him.

"Yeah, but is it all worth it sitting out here in the scorching sun? I mean, why can't they just come to us?"

"It's obvious they don't know anyone around here or they wouldn't have put a want ad out for shelter," Sanosuke stated, sitting back on the bench facing out to the water.

"But I wonder what's taking them so long..." Kaoru's eyes turned wide and shaking with worry, clapping her hands together. "I certainly hope they didn't run into any pirates, or strike a battle at sea and sink, or-"

"You're just worried you won't get that money," Yahiko mumbled, interrupting her.

"HEY! That's not true!"

"You know it is! You're dead broke, and you're even having a hard time buying food!"

She glared. "Just because you keep eating it all up!"

He gritted his teeth, standing up and balling his fists. "What?! You eat _twice_ as much as I do!"

"What are you implying?!"

He crossed his arms, grinning, "Oh, nothing that's not of the obvious."

Her rage rose to its boiling point, taking the wooden sword from behind her back and holding it up above her head as if to strike hard. Both Sanosuke and Kenshin stood, having a hard time keeping her from literally killing Yahiko. He just laughed and stuck out his tongue, looking out to the water and seeing another ship had just arrived. When the ship sounded, they stopped, turning to see it as well. Kaoru smiled happily, hoping that it had finally come. Putting the sword behind her back again, she walked with the others through the crowded pier, heading over to the drop off area to find the immigrants.

As they reached it, Kaoru held out her hand, asking, "Sanosuke, you have the picture right?"

"Let's see..." He searched his pockets, finding it and handing it to her.

She held up the black and white photo of the young lady, wearing a Western-styled dress with a bonnet tied on the sides of her face. Hopefully she'd be wearing something similar to it, because the picture was glared out partly and nothing really being revealed of her face. Sanosuke, in his superstitious self, said that's what happens when you take too many pictures, but she had just rolled her eyes and remained thinking that there had probably been something wrong with the lighting.

Eventually, they noticed a young woman, looking to be like the girl from the picture, wearing a yellow dress. With white gloves to match the frills on the hem of her outfit, she also had a lace umbrella to shield her ghostly pale skin from the blazing sun. Her deep, dark brown hair was back in something called a French braid, and her light blue eyes seemed lost in the commotion. They approached, Kaoru putting a hand on her shoulder from behind, trying to get her attention. The girl jumped, her eyes turning wide and stepping away from them quickly as if they were looters.

"Oh, no need to be frightened, we-" Kenshin tried to say, but a shadow came looming over them, turning around to see what it was. Kenshin and Sanosuke took one look and were prepared to fight, seeing the monstrous man standing with his arms crossed and his eyes gazing at them.

"Is there something you would like to ask her?" his voice boomed in question. Even Sanosuke was a bit intimidated by him, being at least two feet taller than him and a shoulder width as big as his arm span. Kaoru held up the picture, the man putting out a hand and taking it between two fingers. Even his hands would manage to engulf Kaoru's face. After a moment, he put it in his pocket, continuing. "So you are the one's who answered the ad. I guess you're not so bad."

"Well, sir, might I ask who you are?" Kaoru inquired.

"My name is Johann. Her name is Lenore, and I'm her bodyguard. You see, she cannot speak, but at least we took the liberty of learning your language anyway."

"You mean she's a mute?" Sanosuke asked.

"I never said that," he answered, almost like it was a threat.

"Umm...We should be going, especially before it gets dark," Kaoru filled in.

"Hey, wait, what about our money?!" Yahiko yelled, and all three covered his mouth before he would make the man any angrier.

"Actually, that reminds me." The man named Johann reached into his pocket, pulling out a wad full of cash. They all stared in surprise, the man counting out the money and putting the rest back in his pocket. He lifted Kaoru's hand, placing it in her care. "One hundred Yen, as promised."

"A-a hundred Yen?!" Yahiko stuttered in shock, reaching out to grab it from her. "Let me see that!"

Kaoru beat him over the head with a fist, tucking it away in her sleeve. She bowed, waving a hand in gesturing to show them to the dojo. The man tilted his head slightly, the young lady seeing this and coming forth, staying close by. Kenshin stared for a moment, noticing the way they were dressed compare to everyone else around. They were wearing to foreign of clothes to ever fit in, the man wearing some sort of animal hide and the lady in such a bright color. He went over to Kaoru, saying to her that maybe they should go shopping first, considering the state they were in. She stopped and turned to gaze at them both too, nodding shortly after. Smiling, she held up a hand, and both staring in question of why she was doing this.

"We were just discussing this and...Well, we thought it be a good idea if we take you to a tailoring shop."

"Hmm? And what's the reason for this? We not fit _in_ here?" Johann stated sarcastically, but Lenore took his arm, catching his attention. She smiled, nodding her head and beginning to walk on. She shrugged, looking both ways in probably asking which way to go. In this they all turned the next street, the new bodyguard sighing and murmuring in annoyance under his breath.

Thinking it was improper to stay inside while Lenore's clothes were being made, Johann stood outside, his arms crossed and his eyes shut. Being afraid that he might start something and get in trouble with the law, the three guys stood out there with him, Kenshin sitting down peacefully, Sanosuke with his hands behind his head while leaning against the wall, and Yahiko plotting on how to get the rest of the money stashed in his pocket.

With nothing else to do, Sanosuke couldn't help but think of where the big guy came from. Sure, he saw tough guys in his day, but nothing compared to this giant. He knew this guy could go off at any second, and could probably crush his skull with one hand if he wasn't careful, (and it wasn't everyday he thought about this). But finally he just came to terms and decided to ask in the best way he could.

"So, you German?" he questioned.

"No, actually. The girl is German, I'm actually part Scottish and Nourish."

"Nourish? You mean like _Viking_ Nourish?!" Yahiko asked, trying to hide the gulp he just made in his throat.

"Yeah. I assume you don't have a problem with that?"

"No, no problem!" he fibbed, shaking his hands. Sighing, he knew that there went his dreams of a fortune from this guy.

'_No wonder this guy's so huge! Plundering-and-destruction is his middle name!_' Sanosuke thought.

There was another long moment of silence. A few bystanders went by, catching a glimpse at the newcomer for a short glance before they went on their way. A few minutes this went on, before someone emerged from the door, the men turning their heads to see who it was. Kaoru smiled, waving a hand to the door and introducing the new look for the newcomer. Lenore, now wearing a long, black skirt and a blue, v-neck shirt that tied around her middle and had sleeves that went largely off her hands, covered her face, feeling embarrassed. She still wore the yellow bonnet with the straps tied over her face, which didn't really go with the rest of the outfit.

"Wow, that's a change," Sanosuke stated, nodding his head in support.

"It looks good, Miss Lenore, that it does," Kenshin said.

"Yeah, but the only that's wrong is the stupid bonnet still on her head," Yahiko exclaimed.

"Yahiko! Be polite to our guests!" Kaoru hissed.

"No, the boy has a point," Johann said suddenly, holding out a hand to her. "I think you can take that off now. We're not in Europe anymore! No one will recognize you, with or without it."

She still refused, taking her hands down but shaking her head.

"Aw, come on, your hair doesn't look that bad under there does it-" Yahiko began, stepping forward and reaching up a hand to swipe it off her head. Instead, he received a hard slap across his upper face, stumbling back and falling to the ground. She shook her head furiously this time, running back inside.

"Oww..." he moaned, rubbing his face.

"Serves you right," Kaoru proclaimed, waking in after her.

A few people stood there, staring from what had just happened. With a bit of cursing and a yell from Sanosuke, they quickly scattered out again, minding their business once and for all. 

"What was that all about?" Yahiko asked after she left for a few moments.

"It isn't of any importance to you," Johann stated, crossing his arms again and leaning against the wall.

After another minute or so, she came back out, wearing something suitable to her outfit. Yahiko nodded, saying that at least it was decent. The young lady smiled, pacing over gracefully to her bodyguard, grabbing his arm and pulling him along to the door entrance.

"What...? Oh no, no, no! No way am I going to wear one of these native's outfits!" he began, but still she pulled him along. Stopping, she patted him on the back, still smiling. "Please don't make me go in there..." This time she grinned, shoving him in.

When all had been said and done at the tailoring shop, Johann came out once more saying he looked like an idiot. They all just laughed, Lenore smiling with amusement, and headed on their way to the dojo. As they walked, Sanosuke and Kenshin shared in a conversation, and one of skepticism.

"Say Kenshin, do you find anything strange about those two?"

"Yes, I have found some things to be odd. But they are from the other side of the world after all!" he said, trying to make good sense of it.

"But what about the fact that they didn't have any luggage? Or why that guy carries around that much cash just in his pocket?"

"That is a bit peculiar, even if they are strangers to this land. Surely it must've been a long journey, and yet all they brought was the clothes on their back and all that money."

"Not to mention that Johann character. He seems like a time bomb waiting to go off."

"It's not him I'm worried about. It's Miss Lenore."

"Lenore? She's harmless! Not to mention she looks like she could hardly lift a _dagger_."

"Sometimes appearances can be fooling. Maybe I'm just being too cautious, but in some way I have a bad feeling about her, like her past is closely trailing behind her."

Sanosuke laughed, slapping him on the back. "You mean like you? Yeah, for once Kenshin, I think you're just being too paranoid!"

"I suppose you're right," he answered. In truth, for once in his life, he wasn't quite sure what he felt, like it was some new emotion logged in the back of his mind. It wasn't paranoia, it wasn't really skepticism, it wasn't even fear to what she was. It was something else, something completely different. To this he couldn't be sure, but he was sure he would eventually know what it was.

When they finally arrived at the dojo, Kaoru showed Lenore to her new room, where Yahiko escorted Johann to his room. Though dinner was served and they had been invited to come, neither did. Yahiko laughed, saying that they probably knew Kaoru's cooking was bad from just the smell from the kitchen! Kaoru, of course, hit in hard over the head again, telling him to go hive Johann his meal. Gulping at it, he could not refuse, but all the while thought of that story where the giant ate a kid's flesh, grinded their bones for bread...Kenshin, however, was given the liberty to deliver Lenore's meal, (knowing she won't reject, seeing how she couldn't talk in the first place).

He made his way through he outside hall, stepping up to her door and seeing the light had been turned off. Knocking on the door, he unsurprisingly got no answer, slightly sliding it open to see where she was. She had rolled out onto the bed mat, curled up tight in her blanket and fast asleep. He smiled, thinking of how long of a day she must've had and how thankful she must've been to just be in her new home. Stepping back, he decided he just take it back to the kitchen and deliver breakfast in the morning. But then he began to assess something else, remembering it from early today. Why hadn't she wanted the bonnet off? Gazing back, and seeing she was still sound asleep, he knew it wouldn't hurt just to see. He knew it was rude, but this weird feeling kept prying at the back of his head. Putting the plate down outside, he quietly stepped in, treading softly over the wooden floor. Kenshin kneeled beside her, witnessing she still did not move. Moving a hand over to the side of her face, he tilted the strap on the side of her face slighting, raising an eyebrow in thought. There was a scar, spreading from the side of her eye directly downward to her jaw, and it was most likely on the other side too. Letting go, he put a hand on her head, wondering what troubles she had once gone through to get that terrible of a wound. It was too bad she could not talk, for maybe she could put this feeling within him to rest. Maybe one day she would find a way to communicate, and on that day he would know.

He pulled away, sitting there for a moment and just staring in thought. All was silent throughout this place, and the slightest sound he made leaving could wake her, so as he stood he made sure he was very careful. But it no longer matter when suddenly she squirmed, sitting up a moment later and screaming in fear, her eyes tightly plastered shut as if she were about to die...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N Umm...Does anyone think I'm making someone out of character? I'm probably just imagining it, but if someone points out something that doesn't seem right then I'll fix it! Okay, thank, and please review! ^_^ 


	2. The Dead's Speech

The Dead's Speech

The light came on all across the dojo, footsteps being heard from the outside and the door sliding open. Kaoru went to light the lamp at the side table, twisting back around to see what had happened. Nothing was said when they saw Kenshin's wrist being squeezed tight, the girl's eyes still shut. They wondered why he did not move, and questioned if he could or not, when Kaoru stepped towards him.

"Kenshin-"

"Wait," he said suddenly, stopping her.

"Kenshin, what's going on?" Yahiko asked, the girl grip getting tighter that her nails began to dig into his skin.

"I think she's hallucinating. She doesn't seem to know that she's awake...or if her dream's reality."

The girl surprisingly let go, her eyes loosening until she fell back, her head missing the pillow and hitting the hard wooden floor. The door slid open, a taller figure having to severely duck through the doorway and come in with a bowl of water, dipped in it a piece of cloth. Johann kneeled above Lenore's head without saying a word, adjusting her head so it rested on the pillow and put the cloth on her head. Sitting back, he sighed, crossing his arm. Kenshin looked at his wrist, finding that it drew blood from where it had been held so tightly. Ignoring it, however, he glared at Johann, wanting an answer for this.

"There's something important you're not telling us, isn't there?" he asked, but he said nothing.

"You said she was hallucinating, right? Wonder how that is..." Sanosuke stated, but knew how it occurred.

"I apologize for her outburst," he said unexpectedly. "This hasn't happened for awhile. If that wound of yours is in any need of medical attention then it'll be paid for."

"No, it will be fine. But if we are to trust you with your stay, you have to tell us why this was."

"I don't have to tell you anything," he spat, catching them all off guard. "I can see with the food you serve that you were out of money, and if we leave then you'll end up back where you started. I wouldn't make either of us upset, because there are many others in this country who would be a bit more respectable for one hundred Yen."

"Yeah, but you could at least have the decency of telling us why she was freaking out like that!" Yahiko exclaimed. Johann opened an eye and gave a cold, angry stare, Yahiko backing off on his statement.

He shook his head, taking his gaze and glimpsing at Lenore's now calm face. "But I suppose you should know if this ever happens again. The reason why she awoke with a sense of still being asleep...is because she has visions, thus making the dreams seem more like reality."

"Visions? You mean like what's to come?" Sanosuke asked.

"No, I mean like what's ensued in the past. She sees deaths, like those who have died ensnare their last memories with her. Many things have come from this, good or bad. That's why she came here, because she thought she could get away from it all, but apparently that doesn't seem to be so."

So it wasn't _her_ past that bothered him, but the past of _others_ she carried along with her. Now it made sense, but Kenshin could only imagine of how it must've been, to linger with the wandering souls of the dead. He noticed Johann look up to Kaoru, who stared back in worry that she had done something wrong.

"It must've been one of your memories that set her off," he proclaimed.

"What? Me? What did I do?" she asked.

"You tapped her shoulder, did you not? She sees the memories of those still living as well if she'd touched, so you too must've seen bloodshed in your life."

Kaoru paused, nodding her head. "Yes...But I thought it was only with the last memories of the dead!"

"You see the death, their memory of fear is placed within those who see it. One may be a witness, one may be the victim, and the other..."

"So what happens when it's the killer?" Sanosuke asked.

"It rarely ever happens. After she has that vision she usually isolates herself, sometimes even becoming violent. But like I said, their are more witnesses out there than killers, so luckily we'll never have to come across it."

There was a long moment of silence, the rest of them contemplating it. Hopefully she'd never come into contact with two of them, for if she did then it was most likely they'd be gone in no time. Kenshin sat with his eyes fixed to the floor, his heart beginning to slow in worry. He had touched her head...Why, why did he touch her head! Now, it was only a matter of time before she had that dream...it was only a matter of time before they were acquainted with his past self.

"Why can't she talk?" Yahiko questioned.

"Her village and her parents were burned alive when she was little by a bunch of angry traders who thought they got a bad deal from her father. Her aunt told me that she is afraid to speak because if she does her vocal cords will rupture from the amount of smoke she inhaled when it happened. A stupid notion, yes, but no matter who tells her otherwise she still won't speak."

"So how are we going to talk to her?" Kaoru inquired.

"She can still write, but only in her language. I can translate for you if you want, or you can just get yes or no answers with a nod."

Sanosuke yawned, stretching his arms out and putting them behind his head, telling them that he was in need of some sleep, stepping out the door. Yahiko agreed to that and left as well, Johann standing and saying that she should be fine now. He, too, left back for his room, Kaoru remaining when she saw Kenshin still sitting there, his wrist beginning to bleed less now. She worried for him, wondering if he was concerned about this, but tried not to mention it.

"Kenshin? Aren't you coming?" she asked quietly, Kenshin standing.

He nodded, walking out without saying another word. Kaoru blew out the lamp, leaving Lenore and the room to the silence and the shadows.

Sanosuke, being the last one up, missed breakfast and thus given the responsibility of bring Lenore her breakfast, seeing how she was the only other one who didn't come, (even Johann manage to get up and come to the table). He was still groggy, hunched over and yawning a few times as he scuffed his feet through the halls to her room. Knocking, he really didn't expect an answer, and opened the door anyway. What did surprise him, however, was that she was up, sitting in the far corner of the room with her knees curled up and a piece of paper on them. He glanced over to the desk, seeing the drawers had been opened and the paper inside had been placed on the desktop. She was writing or drawing something, seeming so concentrated on it that she didn't even bother to look up that him. The room was darker than it should've been, so he left the door open for a bit of light to seep in. Making his way over, he sat down in front of her a few feet, placing the bowl of rice to her side in caution, sitting back quickly. She still made no move, continuing to stare down at the paper with her blank eyes. Finally, in thinking she wouldn't try to touch him, he scooted over and put his back against the wall, sitting next to her at a distance. When she didn't even spare a glance, he began to wonder what she was working on, leaning over and staring over her shoulder, noticing she was drawing. It wasn't bad either, just a little scribbled out in places. He didn't recognize who it was, but it did look like someone who would be in the country. Trying not to give her the impression that he was a creep, he said something for once.

"So, someone you know?" he asked, and she shook her head, not looking up. He was shocked that she actually responded, especially so quickly. Thinking he could start a conversation, he continued. "Someone you met on the ship over here?"

Again, she shook her head.

"Then...who is it?"

This time she did not shake or nod her head, but just continued to draw. A face began to take shape, but as soon as the eyes had been drawn she stopped, putting the pen down at her side and looking at it as if it had just appeared there before her. She smiled, nodding her head and placed it against the wall, soon turning to the food placed beside her. Sanosuke stood when she took it, examining the wooden sticks in wondering what their use was.

"Well, that's your breakfast. It may not be that good, but you shouldn't expect anything better when Kaoru makes it." He laughed, putting his hands in his pockets and pacing off, walking out the door without bothering to shut the door.

When his stomach growled he stopped, looking down at it. He figured that it wouldn't be too long until lunch, and hopefully with that money Kaoru would at least make something decent. Taking one step, he heard many more follow behind him, spinning around to find that Lenore was standing there, holding out her hand with the wooden sticks in it. He stared for a moment, confused, when suddenly he remembered that foreigners didn't use chopsticks.

"Oh, sorry. All we have here is those things but I suppose it won't be any help to you. Well, here." He reached out his hand to take the bowl and the sticks from her, stopping, however, when he knew he would have to touch her hands. But he couldn't resist from help her when she smiled at him sweetly, really wanting to know how to eat like they did. Finally taking them, he explained how you were suppose to eat with them, handing them back.

Lenore had a hard time trying to get them right, both of them soon sitting down for a sort of lesson on how to eat. It was actually kind of funny, but then again is she couldn't even learn how to eat as most of the general population did, how else would she live here? After about twenty minutes of switching it back and forth she got the hang of it, Sanosuke's stomach reminding him of his hunger. He told her that she should be able to get the hang of it by now and stood, nodding his head, in a sort of way, (though he'd never exactly do it), excuse himself. She nodded as well, smiling. As he turned, he heard a small, quiet voice come from her.

"Danke...T-thank you...Ich hoffe Sie Umdrehung aus gutem... oder sonst müssen Sie auch sterben..."

He stood there for a moment, confused by the way she spoke and how she spoke. Sanosuke didn't understand a word she just said except for 'Thank you', but maybe she was shaping up over her superstition and decided that with a new life came new challenges.

Lenore got up and ran into her room before he could say anything, shutting the door behind. He shrugged, thinking it was just a common thing to thank someone in her country and she would probably never do it again. His stomach growled loudly once more, deciding he'd just go wait at the table and just bug whoever was there to make something for lunch.

Sliding the door open to the dinner room, he was astounded when he saw everyone sitting, (excluding the other newcomer to the dojo). They were all sitting around the table while Kaoru was reading the newspaper, finding some interesting news of which she thought they should hear.

"It says here that disappearance have been reported all around town, like they vanished into thin air. Some witnesses reported seeing strange aspersions in dark areas, but there is no evidence to support those claims. No one has confronted the police with any tips on the case, not even where the victims were last seen." Kaoru looked up, seeing all of their puzzled faces. "Sounds a bit strange to me. What do you guys think?"

"I think it's stupid. It's just some sort of plot to get pay back at some guys who owed." He thought for a moment when no one bothered to answer, shutting his eyes. "I think the part where that lady having visions is a bunch of crap too."

"Yahiko!" Kaoru yelled.

"Well it's true! I mean, being able to see the memories of the dead! What is she, psychic or something? I think she's just shot up too many-"

"Yahiko, please, mind your manners," Kenshin said suddenly, the rest of them beginning to stare. "Just don't judge those you don't quite know yet."

"You got a bad feeling about this too?" Sanosuke questioned.

"I'm not quite sure what it is, but I do know it's nothing good."

Silence struck the room, all of them staring at Kenshin like he would continue. When Kenshin got a bad feeling, it definitely was going to get worse. They could only hope it wouldn't affect them too badly.

"Well, I got her to talk earlier!" Sanosuke said, almost proudly.

"Really? That's great! Maybe we'll actually be able to talk to her normally!" Kaoru said.

"Yeah, but the only problem is she said it in German, and I don't take it any of you know it, do you?"

"What did she say?" Kenshin asked.

"She said something like, 'Danke...eech hoff See...oder sonst mussen See owch sterben.' Err...something like that..."

"Forget that then! Who knows what she'll be blabbering about," Yahiko exclaimed.

A voice came from the door, just happening to catch what Sanosuke. "Actually," Johann began, "the first word was 'thank you'. Secondly, you cut off most of it but it started out as 'I hope you', and the last part... 'or otherwise you must also die...'"

All four of their eyes widened, Johann walking off in the other diction as he was going. They all turned their gaze to Sanosuke, knowing that he had probably touch her shoulder when he was talking to her. His head was bowed low, knowing from the start he shouldn't have taught her how to use chopsticks. Staring at the table in worry, he went from proud to feeling like he wouldn't live to see tomorrow...


	3. A Glimpse of What Was

A Glimpse of What Was

Sanosuke opened his eyes to the bright light of the morning sun, sitting up and pinching his face in amazement that he was still here, alive. He pulled off the covers over him and grabbed his jacket that was lying to the side, putting it on and walking over. Sliding open the door, he peeked his head out, seeing if anyone was around. When knowing there was none, he slinked out, thinking he was clear. He kept close to the wall when he came to the corner, peering over. Throughout the wide area no one was to be seen, Sakosuke thinking that everyone was at breakfast already. Smirking, he put his hands in his pockets and began to walk on as if he would normally.

That was, until a hand tapped on his shoulder quickly.

He spun around and, seeing that face, jumped back, fearing that she was going to stab him or something. Instead, she had a confused expression, looking down at the bowl of rice in her hands as if there was something wrong with it. Gazing back up at him, she smiled, holding the bowl out to him. He rub the back of his head, feeling like an idiot now.

"Oh...thanks..." he replied, taking it from her. "Must've woken up late again, right?" She nodded in an answer. Thinking the conversation was over, she did what she saw from many other people, bowing her head and twirling back to run in the direction she came from.

It surprised him that she did this, and that she was so friendly in the first place. He thought about it for a moment, thinking it was strange, but almost shrugged it off. The only reason why he didn't was because he recalled that he wasn't the first she touch...

With this he began to run to the dinner room, just about dropping the bowl in the hurry. When he reached it, he slid open the door quickly, just about out of breath.

"Hey, Kenshin! Where are you?" he yelled, the rest of them, including Kenshin, looking up from their meal.

"I'm right here. Is there something you want to inquire?" he asked, Sanosuke sighing in relief.

"No, just wondering if you were alive or not," he answered truthfully, taking a seat at the table.

"What do you mean?" Kaoru questioned in worry.

"Well, seeing how his wrist was grabbed I thought that she would have visions about him first, meaning that you would disappear like everyone else."

"But as you can see I'm still here."

"See, I told you! It was probably just some gangs mad about those guys who disappeared," Yahiko stated.

"Yeah...But it makes her wonder if she did have any dreams...Or maybe she was just faking it all along," he said in thought, looking at the food before him and remembering his hunger, beginning to chow down.

"If she was then why did she have that nightmare from before?" Kaoru asked to no one in particular.

"Maybe it was just a faze," Yahiko answered, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back. He looked up, however, and everyone else did too, when they began to hear a humming sound, coming from outside.

Looking to the door, they saw Lenore pass, stopping and smiling to wave. They all waved back as she left down the hall, stepping off the porch and over to the wall where ivy grew. She didn't even seem to notice they continued to stare at her, all the while still humming a certain tune. 

"Hey, Sano, why don't you go talk to her," Kenshin suggested.

"Why me?!" he retorted.

"Because you're the only one who seems to be able to get an answer from her!" Kaoru snapped back.

"Say, missy, it's not like I've seen you try to start a conversation!"

"That's because none of us can! She runs off every time we do approach her, like we're still some strangers who are out to get her! At least I've been able to get a nod in reply, but with Kenshin or Yahiko she appears to be scared to death of them."

"It's like she sees us but doesn't. Like she lives in a world of black and white, all those she hasn't seen into yet shrouded in darkness still..." Kenshin asserted, taking a sip of the tea in front of him.

"Yeah, so since your the only one who's _not_, you're going to have to see what this is all about!"

"But...do I have too...?" he whined, rubbing the back of his head.

Kaoru began to steam, fed up with all the excuses. Yelling at the top of her lungs to get out or fend for himself food wise for another week, Sanosuke ran out as quickly as he could. He stood on the porch for a moment as the door slammed shut behind him, gazing out to find the girl didn't even budge. Gulping, he didn't feel right going to talk to the person who threatened him the other day, but knew he had no other choice. Stepping out, he slowly walked over, glancing over her shoulder to see what she was doing. Oddly enough she was just staring down at it, like it was going to pop out of the ground all of the sudden. He raised an eyebrow, kneeling down and looking at it as well, seeing if anything would happen. After a moment, he glimpsed over at her, seeing her unmoving eyes. She didn't _blink_, as if she were entranced in it all.

He smiled, waving a hand over her eyes. "Hey, are you okay in there?" he asked, but was gripped with surprise as she grabbed his wrist, holding it tight. After a minute, she let go, Sanosuke finding that there was now a red ring where her hand had been clutching it so tightly. "Okay...I guess I should get to the point why I'm here. Well, they think I'm the only one who can talk to you, since you spoke just the other day. I think it's a load of crap but hey, what are you going to do?"

All of the sudden, she rose to her feet, still keeping her eyes planted to the ground. He stared up at her, but glared down to see what she had been looking at the whole time, keeping his eyes on that spot. When she began to walk away, he notice her footsteps pace, then stop, beginning to run. Overwhelmed, she kneeled down behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her mouth close to his ear.

"Captain Sagara...sends his regards...and says that he's proud of what you have made yourself out to be..." With this she hurriedly let go, running back to the hall and put of sight to anyone around.

Sanosuke just sat there, not quite sure what emotion would describe what he was feeling. One was of shock, that this had happened so suddenly and so unexpectedly. Another was the disbelief that she would know something like that without even being in the country for less than two days. And the last, the most important, was his fear. It was the fear that she actually could see things that had happened, and maybe...just maybe...speak with the dead. He didn't even bother to look behind him, not even once, as he finally saw what she had been staring at. It was the blood of her own hands from where she had been ringing the ivy, knowing why she had glared at it in the way she did...

She didn't even realize she had been holding the ivy until he snapped her out of it...


	4. Opium?

'Opium...?'

Everything seemed fine from days on end, not even one vision from Lenore, (or at least not a mention of it). They go ton with their normal lives, but couldn't quite ignore the fact that there were still disappearances going around. The strangest thing was that it only happened at night, in the most deserted areas. In this they decided to make a curfew for themselves just until the crimes stopped, and that was all they ever made. As they sat in the chatty meal, they yet again noticed that Lenore nor Johann was there. It wasn't like they were ever there, but Johann would usually come by at dinner time. Then again, sometimes he didn't, so it was of no surprise to them.

They thought, however, that it could be him when they heard steps coming from down the hall. It stopped a few times, but they ignored it to continue on speaking. A sort of smack came to the door, though, forcing them to look up to see who it was. As the handprint began to smudge across the faded white material, they all began to question what it was. The door slid open, and in came stumbling Lenore. She just stood there wobbling as she stared blankly at them all. Kenshin looked at the hand that had hit the door, seeing it and the other were both covered in blood, and before the moment of silence between was outlived a trail of blood fell from her mouth, Lenore collapsing to the ground.

The nearest person to her got up and scrambled to get her head up from choking on the blood in her mouth, Kenshin holding her head forward to let it drain out as she leaned again his shoulder. Yahiko managed to get a few towels to put on the floor where it was, Kaoru running out to get a doctor. Sanosuke, seeing that he could do something more, ran out and down the hall, sliding the door open to Johann's room. He saw him sitting at the table writing something in a foreign language, his eyes narrow in anger. Rushing over to him he fearlessly grabbed the collar of his suit, gritting his teeth.

"I thought you said you were her bodyguard!" he yelled.

"I am! Why, is something concerning you about that?"

"You _idiot_! She's bleeding to death and you don't even know about it!" he shouted, Johann's eyes widening and pushing him away as he ran out, heading for the dinner room. Sanosuke quickly followed without any moment so hesitation, hoping the doctor would get here soon to actually evaluate what happened to her.

Back in the dinner room, Kenshin was still holding her head, Yahiko quickly switching towels as they were soaked. She at least began to gain a little consciousness as her eyes twitched, her head swaying from Kenshin's hold a bit. Her mouth move as if to speak, but only gurgles were heard for awhile. For a moment there she squirmed enough for her throat to be clear, finally words beginning to form.

"If...you want...to taste...the ground...feel free to...attack me..." she rasped, Kenshin's eyes narrowing in thought. He remembered those words from when he had said them, and looked to the girl as she coughed up another throw of blood, splattering in Yahiko's face this time. She groaned in agony, slumping over and almost hitting her head on the floor in front of her. Her eyes, still shut, twirled around under her eyelids, as if asleep but still able to speak like normal. "Sanosuke...Yahiko...Take care...of miss Kaoru...I'm...counting on...you..." Yahiko even looked up at Kenshin this time, knowing he had said that when he was taken by pirates before. Kenshin took her by the shoulders, sitting her back on his shoulder and tipping her head forward again.

"Kenshin, this is really starting to creep me out. She just...she said..." he began, but could not continue with his rising fear.

"Yes, I know. I'm starting to wonder...if she really can see into the minds of other."

"But Kenshin, that's-" he said, but was interrupted as the man named Johann slammed the door open, coming over to her side and putting his large hands on the side of her face. It covered more than what would be half her head, but he was careful to pull the side of her mouth, seeing why she was bleeding so much.

"The sides of her mouth have been cut," he stated, slowly taking her from Kenshin and lying her down on the ground with her head turned to the side. He took a towel from Yahiko and put it under her mouth, making sure it didn't spill off.

"But how is that possible?!" Yahiko questioned.

"I don't know...except..." He stood up suddenly, telling them he'd be back. As he went to the door, two others stepped in, one of them stopping when she saw him. He ignored it and paced on, both entering to the hurt girl's side.

The doctor, otherwise known to them as Megumi, propped her head up with a bunched up blanket she had brought, taking a look inside her mouth to find that both sides had been cut as Johann had stated a minute ago. Even though she asked how this happened, they didn't have an answer, and so she took out a special bottle she had made up before she came. They wondered what it could have been when she poured it into her still mouth, some of it running of any appearing to be water. It was all she could do for now, and sat back when it had been finished.

"She's lucky it wasn't too serious of a wound, or else it might have gotten infected," Megumi said.

"What was that stuff?" Yahiko asked.

"It's a new formula doctors have been discussing for awhile now. It's called silver water, where you use pure silver and dip it in water until some of it gets soaked into it. It's suppose to heal almost anything, but unfortunately only the rich can afford it. I just happened to be making some for an order earlier this week, but when Kaoru came and told me that someone here was hurt I decided to test it out." She stared for a moment, seeing her ghostly pale skin and her facial features. She opened one of her eyes and raised an eyebrow, questioning something. "She's not from around here, is she?"

"No, she immigrated over here from Germany," Kenshin answered.

"Huh...Well, it's a good thing she came. If she would've suffered these cuts over there she probably would've died of disease."

"Can you tell what happened to her?" Sanosuke asked from where he had been sitting over at the table.

She shook her head. "No. I have no idea how she could've cut herself like this without swallowing something, and even then she probably wouldn't have made it a few seconds before her insides were shredded."

"But even if it's the inside of her mouth, why is she passed out like that?" Yahiko inquired, only to get an answer from the door.

"Opium," Johann stated in a growl, clutching it in his hand. "The only question is...Why in heaven's name is there _opium_ in her _room_?!" He tossed the packets to the floor tossing the sharp, bloodied razors across it as well. "Not to mention these in her food..."

"Opium...?" Megumi gasped, picking up the small packets. "But there's no one in Tokyo who makes this stuff anymore!"

"Whoever said it had to be in Tokyo?" Sanosuke said. "There's gotta be a lot of other people out there who know to make it, and it's most likely there's at least one person out to get her. She did come from across the sea, so maybe someone back home has a grudge against her still." Standing up, he put his hands in his pockets, shrugging. "Or maybe she just drugged herself. Who knows." Beginning to walk out, he would have made it out if only Johann hadn't been standing there. Instead he was pushed back, Johann crossing his arms with his eyes narrow.

"I'm not finished," he stated, glaring at Sanosuke.

"What? You think I did it?!" he question, pointing out the obvious.

"Maybe. You are the only one who's been bringing her meals after all."

"But why would I want to drug her?!" he inquired, infuriated now.

"I don't know, your the criminal mastermind. Or maybe...you're just afraid."

"Afraid of WHAT?!"

"That she may know too much about you. That you've done things you don't want anyone else to know."

"That's stupid! There's nothing I'm hiding!"

"Or that you'll die in the middle of your sleep."

He remained silent on that part, thinking of the ways he could possibly know that. The first day he had touched her hand he had been like that, but all the other days be had kept it low, trying not to let it bug him too much. But whatever it may be, it would drive him to the point of _killing_ someone. He gave that up a long time ago, even if he was for hire once in his life, he wasn't anymore.

"You're all afraid of that," he continued. "You're afraid you'll be guilty of something and the next day no one will be able to find you. Well, I say this once, and only once. She is _not_ responsible for those disappearance, nor has ever been. She sees things, and that's all. What happens after that is up to the person she sees."

"Then how do you explain her seeing at all?" Yahiko questioned.

"When she was very little, those people who burned her village took her away to interrogate her on where her family's money was. She already had it within her, supposedly, but it was only brought onto affect when they gave her overdose after overdose of certain narcotics, and since they gave it through her bloodstream it stuck with her for awhile. As she finally escaped and was found, she would always have these dreams of deaths and afterwards there would always be a disappearance. Someone's apparently gotten a hold of that information and tried to overdose her again, this time getting the job done by trying more effectively and putting razors in her food."

"Then if you know so much how do we know you didn't do it?! Surely you would want all that money she had and when she was dead you could have it."

"That's preposterous! I would never do such a thing!" he shouted.

"Then how come your never around when these things happen? And how come you're the one who always dishes out the money?" Sanosuke yelled back.

"Her Aunt and Uncle entrusted her to my care because I was the one who found her half alive on the side of the road just after she escaped!" Sanosuke was shot back by this, Johann continuing. "I was just a farmer back then and I haven't killed a single person in my life! Do you think I'm going to start now over some money?! I took up the job because my family need money back home, all ten of my younger brothers and sisters. I belong to a family of orphans, and for the past twenty years they've been living on their own in Scotland. It's been twelve years since I've seen them, and ever since I've considered her as just another sibling of mine to take care of. Now tell me, if it came to decided between a fortune and your family, what would you chose?"

There was a long pause, no one making a move to speak. Yahiko, however, shrugged, grinning. "Depends on if it's Miss Ugly over there."

Kaoru glared, punching him in the back of the head and making him teary eyed slightly.

"But that still doesn't explain who did this!" Sanosuke said.

"No...but I'm sure in time we'll figure it out." He gave one last death gaze to Sanosuke before turning and walking to his room. "Somehow I don't doubt that."

Megumi said that she would be back to check on her in the morning and said her goodbyes. Kaoru said she'd clean up the towel later and moved out the dinner dishes, Yahiko taking his leave and heading back to his room. Kenshin volunteered to stay and keep watch as well as Sanosuke, finding that one could get some sleep as the other kept watch out for any intruders that might come back.

Of course, it ended up in a coin toss, and Sanosuke won the part of going to sleep first. In a matter of no time he fell sound asleep, Kenshin left to keep his eyes opened, no matter how hard it was to do. Even in the dead of night nothing had moved, Kenshin swaying in unconsciousness and back when nothing occurred. But as her head began to toss he finally came to wake, watching to see if she would be alright without being woken up. Not wanting to do this he put a hand her head forehead, calming her down from the nightmare she was having.

And then her eyes came prying open, filled with anger and hate as she sat up suddenly, her head tilted his way. "Bat-tou-sai!" she hissed, blood splattering out of her mouth with every space of letter she spoke, swiftly reaching up her hands and wrapping them tightly around his neck...


	5. But a Puppet

But a Puppet

He could feel his muscles about to tear before he could get a hand up on her, his throat collapsing in on itself. But as he about reached up a hand to push her away, her hands slipped from his neck, falling back as Sanosuke took hold of her. Her kicks and thrashed her head about, glaring at him in a way he had never seen. It as almost as if it were someone else, their soul compressed into her mind only to seek revenge on him. But the only problem was, after a moment of her shouting, she spoke, sounding like her own being.

"Hitorkiri..._Battousai!_" she screamed in anger, reaching out his hands to strangle him once more. "The Man Slayer! Why?! Why...did you kill...so many?! Why do you still walk this earth with no sense of shame?! Why?! _WHY?!_" Her hands dropped, relaxing in a way that Sanosuke could loosen his grip on her. Her eyes became watery, looking up at him in pleading for an answer. "Why...you kill so many...and yet are the only one...who wants retribution...?"

"Kenshin, how does she know all this?" Sanosuke asked, but he had no answer to give.

"Shi...Shinta..." he continued on, her eyes narrowing in thought as his enlarged in question. "You're real name...is Shinta...Isn't it Kenshin?"

"That was my past name, that it was. My real name now is Kenshin Himura," he replied as if she could hear. But instead she smiled, reaching out again and this time putting her bloody hand on the sides of his face. It was as if she had changed as a completely different person. When she continued, they realized that she _had_ changed.

"You got older," she stated, pinching the sides of his face.

He smiled back, acting as if nothing had happened. "And I see you've gotten better, Miss Lenore."

"Miss Lenore? Who's Lenore?"

Sanosuke and Kenshin both stared, questioning if she had gone insane or was just delusional after that overdose on opium. She just continued on smiling as if they were just being silly, tilting her head as she nodded. Pulling back, she looked up, remembering that name form somewhere.

"Oh! Now I know! It was the nice young woman who showed me here! Yes, now I remember." Her eyes softened, her eyes beginning to swell with tears of joy this time. "It was a joy just speaking to you again Shinta. Hope to see you sometime in the future." In this her eyes rolled back, collapsing back into Sanosuke's arms again.

Blood began to run on the side of her mouth, her eyes focusing again as they gazed to see what would happen next. This time, she had a notorious grin on her face, sitting up quickly and punching Sanosuke in the shoulder. "Sano! Good to see you again, buddy! Jeez, whoever would've thought I would get a chance to come here, to be in the real world again!" She noticed the side of her face, wiping the bit of blood. "Eh, get what you get I guess." Moving her hand around like she had never seen it before, her eyes widening in shock as she shook her head. "Oh shit! I'm a woman?! What in...Oh, wait, that's right. Ha, ha! That lady was the one who told me I could come back. Must've gotten her body. Jeez, to bad I had to come back to see you like this, Sano, but you know, whatever I can do to say my goodbye! If only I had known that was opium...huh...Well, whatever! Just don't get _yourself_ killed, now, Sano! But if you do, you know you owe me a rematch at dice!"

In this her grin wore away, falling back again and hitting her head on the wooden floor. She moaned in pain, rolling over on her side while she held her head. Sitting up, she blinked, looking back and forth to both of them.

"Uh...what...happened...?"she asked, both of them just peering on.

"Err...You don't remember and thing that just happened?" Sanosuke inquired.

"Well...I remember...eating dinner...then feeling weak with...a numbness in my mouth...I made my way here...and then remember passing out..." She raised an eyebrow, wondering. "Why?...What happened?"

This gave them the indication that she had _not_ been herself just then. She had not been fooling around, and she had not even been awake just then. Just by the way she talked just then gave it away, and also in the matter of her choice of words. It had been two completely different people, giving the indication that she had just been a puppet. But the only question was...

To what?

"Maybe you shouldn't go to sleep," Sanosuke suggested. "Just until it wares off, of course!"

"Until what wears off? What happened to me?" she questioned. Again, nether of them had an answer to what happened just then, but at least they could tell her why she passed out.

"You had an overdose of opium," Kenshin replied.

"Opium...?"

"In other words you were drugged in an attempt to kill you," Sanosuke said.

"I know what opium is _and_ an overdose is! But...why would someone be trying to kill me still?"

"_Still?_" Kenshin asked, Lenore standing up and walking to the door slowly. She slid it open, stepping out into the beaming moonlight. Walking out into the wide area, she looked up into the partly cloudy sky.

"It's been so long since I've been noticed...And I thought I would be safe here."

"Well, you are!" Sanosuke confessed, standing up and striding out after her. He crossed his arms and leaned against the building. "You've got the two strongest fighters living here. I've got some pretty powerful fists and no one can out beat Kenshin!"

"I appreciate your support," she said, turning back to face him. She smiled, shrugging. "But there will always someone who can challenge you."

"What? Like who?! Name one person!" he stated.

"I know there is one person who could beat you...and that very same person could challenge him, maybe almost beat," she answered, pointing to both him and Kenshin. "Don't know his name...but I'm sure you do..."

"Yeah, well let's just see him try to get past us. You're an important person to us after all, and Kaoru would never forgive us for letting you go!"

"Is that all I am...But a piece to own...?"

Sanosuke quickly uncrossed his arms, shaking his head. "No, of course not!" he said honestly. "Why would you-"

"Don't worry," she smiled. "I won't be offended if you think that. Everyone seems to anyway. The least you could do is be honest..."

"But I am! _Really_!"

"You all think I'm a freak right? That I have nightmares in the middle of the night, dreaming of the deaths of people. Just to let you know, I'm _not_ crazy. I'm just...a little unwell...Or maybe...I guess you could say I'm impaired the normal world, but then again...What do you care, right? I'd probably be stuffed away in some insane asylum if I didn't have as much money I inherited."

"We never thought that you were crazy," Kenshin corrected, stepping out, "or impaired. We've just thought you had a special trait that no one else had."

"A special trait...That's a nice way of putting it..." She looked back to the sky, still trying to keep a strange smile of sorrow on her face. "You know why I was sent here? It's because my Aunt and Uncle. They got sick and tired of my so called 'fibs' on seeing people's deaths, and so they sent me away to anywhere someone would take me."

"...You're wanted here..." Sanosuke mumbled, feeling embarrassed but knowing he should say it.

"What?" she said, looking back at him. "You mean it?" Sanosuke nodded in responds. She smiled, beginning to walk towards him as she was about to continue speaking. A wind kicked up, however, dusting making her stop and shield her eyes.

But it would probably be the biggest mistake she could make.

She was swept up off her feet so fast they could hardly see it to begin with, but when they both stepped out they looked to the tree looming, seeing the ghostly white figure standing there, an emotionless gaze glancing down upon them...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N Say, does anyone know whether Tomoe is mentioned in the Anime? Also, does Aoshi, (former leader before that Gatling gun incident) turn good? If someone can answer these questions before the next chapter that would really be nice. Thanks! ^__^


	6. Kidnapped for a Penny

Kidnapped for a Penny

Kenshin and Sanosuke stared up at the ghostly image, their eyes focusing to the face they could not forget. Sanosuke glared threateningly as he saw Lenore caught up in his arms, trying to get loose with a kodachi held up to her throat.

"Aoshi!" Sanosuke shouted, clenching his fists in anger. "What do you want?! Let the girl go!"

"I don't think so," he answered, tightening his grip as she scrambled around. As screamed in a rage, however, biting down on his hand and making him almost drop the sword. He gazed after her as she leaped off, staring at his hand in seeing she had pierced the skin. "Savage," he murmured, looking down to see her peering up at him with narrow eyes, a large grin smeared on her face. Blood lied like lipstick on her lips, Lenore wiping it away the moment she realized it was there.

"And what are you? The perfect being?" she hissed, her eyes beginning to roll as she stumbled back.

Aoshi jumped down, making his way over to pick her up. But when Kenshin had stepped in front, Sanosuke picking her up under her knees, he began to laughed. He saw how intent they were, the seriousness of the situation striking him as humorous.

"I do not intend to fight you, that I don't, but if you must insist," Kenshin began, reaching for the sakabatou.

"I don't wish to fight you, Battousai. All I want is the girl and I'll leave you in peace," he answered, his face becoming emotionless once again. He shifted back to the tree, pointing the kodachi to what was now tied there, (or at least what they just noticed). "Unless, of course, you want unnecessary blood to be spilt this night."

Kenshin glared, gripping the sword until he could feel the blood rushing within them. He could not believe he had been tricked like that, in a way he ignored the very thing that had been placed there a moment before Lenore was taken. Glaring as Aoshi stride out over to what was there, he could only watch helplessly as he put the sword up to Kaoru's slender neck, continuing.

"Either you give her to me and not know whether I'll hurt her or not or have this woman's throat slit before your eyes _and_ have me take her by force." He swiped the sword toward Kenshin in a taunt. "The choice is yours, Battousai."

"You backstabbing-" Sanosuke yelled, but was cut off when Aoshi held the sword back up to Kaoru's neck.

"Save the small talk. Just give me an answer in five seconds. 5...4...3..."

How could he decide one life over another? How could he decide who lives and who dies? _Why_ had it be this way? Surely Aoshi would kill her, either that or the people he was hired by would. But why like this? Why couldn't he just fight him to decide like the other times? There had to be some catch to it all, because this just didn't seem like Aoshi's way of working.

"...2...1..."

"Wait!" Kenshin shouted, holding out a hand. Aoshi lowered the sword stepping away to hear his answer. "Wait...I have my decision...But first you must tell me why you're doing this?! Why stoop so low as to blackmail? And I thought you were an honorable swordsman."

"I am, but you can't buy anything by just having a quick hand in combat. It just so happens I've been offered a pretty penny for that little barbarian, so how could I refuse?"

Kenshin just gazed in a calm rage at him, Sanosuke staring past to see what was happening. Silently the big guy which he had made out to be the one responsible for all this was cutting Kaoru loose, getting the ropes unraveled. He threw her over his shoulder, hoping to get by rapidly without being seen. However, he didn't quite see the branch that was on the ground, Aoshi twisting around with his blade flung to hit anything that was there. However, when it would have chopped any normal man's arm off, Johann caught it in his hand, keeping it there with a grin on his face. Blood dripped from his hand, but he really didn't seem to care much.

"A child's toy," he laughed, clutching it tightly and beginning to bend it.

Aoshi's eyes widened to the man's strength, letting go to pull out the other he had to his side. He sidestepped back, making his way as fast as he could and taking up Lenore before Sanosuke could see him, jumping up and onto the roof. Before another word was said, he disappeared into the darkness.

Johann put Kaoru down as he stared after the ghostly man who he tried to remember his face closely. Kaoru ran to Kenshin, who now hung his head in shame and in anger. He still felt wrong with no way to save her just then, but his rage beginning to overwhelm him once again. Sanosuke had already gone to not lose track of him, figuring that they'd catch up to him sometime.

"Kenshin..." Kaoru said, knowing how he hated like he failed.

Standing up straight, he put the sakabatou back into its sheath. "Miss Kaoru, I must ask you to stay here. Watch over Yahiko and make sure he doesn't try following."

"But, Kenshin!"

"Please, miss Kaoru! You know I would not reject any other time but at this moment I have a very bad feeling about this. Though you may be skilled even I may have a hard time defeating Aoshi." He took her hand, his eyes pleading with sincerity. "Please...do me this favor."

She did not blush this time, even though in any other instant she would have. This time she was only scared, wondering if she would ever see him again. This was not just some street fight where she knew he would get out of it safely, but this time she just had a gut feeling that something was going to go wrong. She didn't know what or when it would be, but she didn't know if she _could_ let him go. Even if she didn't, though, she had no choice, letting his hand slip away. Johann ran on and out of the dojo, Kenshin taking one last look of reassurance to her before he dashed into the night.

Her eyes wandered in the dim candlelight, seeing a figure sitting there at a desk and writing something. It was for the buyers who were going to pick her up after he left, but she didn't know that at the time. Instead, she only sat up from where she had been lying at her side, noticing that her hands or feet weren't tied at all. Of course, being a skilled swordsmen with a kodachi at his side, she figured he wasn't too worried about her trying to escape. She, however, had no idea where she could be, and would not dare escape into terrain she was not familiar with. Instead she just smiled sweetly, her eyes narrow with the bad focus she had on him.

"Aoshi...Aoshi Shino...mori...Is that right?" she asked quietly, the man looking up. He stood up and walked over to her, staring down in an attempt to strike fear in her heart.

"Yes, that is my name," he replied.

"You're the...leader of the...Obiwaban group...are you not?" she inquired.

"I _was_," he corrected. "And what does an foreigner like you know about me?"

She just kept on smiling, tilting her head. But her smiling faded, her eyes starting to blink rapidly before they became slits, her hand forcefully reaching up and grabbing the collar of his coat, pulling him down so his ear was close to her lips. When she spoke, she did not speak in the way she had before, but his eyes widened as he recognized the tone.

"Leader...Let it be known that we did not die in vain. We died...for honor...and duty to our clan...For the Obiwaban..." With this she pushed him back, swallowing hard and having her eyes roll back, falling over and onto her face. "Please leader...May you not share the shame...of our weaknesses of death..." In this the strange voice stopped, Lenore coming back and beginning to cough with a choking hazard as tears welled in her eyes, beginning to stream down her face.

Aoshi just stood there, stunned. Just stunned in utter disbelief that this event had just occurred. How, how could she have known so much? How could she have sounded so much like them...? He thought about it for a moment, remembering what his employers had once said about he having a 'special trait'. Even in his cold and emotionless self he was now, he could not help his curiosity. Kneeling down, he helped her back up to the window seat, keeping an arm around her shoulder for support as she gasped for breath, as if she had just come from almost drowning in water.

"Tell me, how do you know so much?!" he said, his voice in a threat. But she could not answer, even if he meant it in that way, putting her hands on the side of her face and gritting her teeth in pain. Wanting to know why she ignored him so, he pried her hands away, taking away the straps of the hat still on her head. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the scars cut from the side of her eye all the way to her jaw, turning her head to the other side to see that it was the same there. "What happened to you?"

"Long ago...I was kidnapped...and was tortured for the answer of where...my family's money was...In this...they said I wouldn't stop crying. They said I cried too much for a five year old...So they slit the sides of my face...reminding me of my weakness every time...I did cry..." She looked up at him, trying her best to keep the tears in her eyes. "You're comrades...wanted to speak with you...So I let them...That's why I know so much...Because it wasn't me..."

"So, what you're saying is...is that...you can talk with the dead?!"

She shook her head. "No, not entirely. Only people who wan to speak with me can. I only see the memories of everyone else. Though...your friends...they wanted to tell you something...They did, didn't they?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes, they did." He glared into her eyes, just not in the way towards her. "Tell me, how long has it been since you've gotten those scars?"

"Thirteen years, sir...Why?" she asked, Aoshi standing up.

He walked over to the table, looking at the parchment he had just written. Feeling sickened, he grabbed it and crumpled it up where it stood, knowing she was much too important to just dispose of like that. Coming to the door, he opened it, only taking a glimpse over his shoulder as he continued.

"Don't try and escape," he said, Lenore standing in alarm to where he was going.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Thirteen years...Then thirteen men shall pay this night," he spat, slamming the door and locking it behind him.


	7. A Futile Collaspe

A Futile Collapse

__

To see a wander

Is to see one's self

To see a killer

Is to be the same on an isolated shelf

Twisted it may

One is born with a soul

What becomes that soul

Is entirely up to the one who possesses it...

Aoshi stood before the approaching army, wondering how he could be so blinded. He had taken a bribe out of unconsciousness, without knowing of its cause. He couldn't even see his cause now, why he had ever taken the deal and was here now. But he was, and had to face this like the man he was.

The group of men, dressed in gray uniforms of no particular origin, came up to him in a hurry, slowing as they surprisingly saw him standing there. Aoshi gave no move to attack or stand back in defense. Instead, he just stood, his hands to his eyes with an on-looking gaze.

"So...you must be Aoshi?" one man said, a heavy German accent to follow it.

"That I am. I'm here to decline your offer. It appears she is no threat, and in fact had already granted what you have promised."

The man gritted his teeth in anger. "You mean you didn't drug her?!"

"You think I didn't try? There just happened to be mishaps along the way and I'm glad there were." He shut his eyes, tilting his head down to keep his anger steady. "When were you going to tell me she could not only talk to the dead but summon them to life?"

"You fool! It was only a trick! That temptresses had done it many times before, and you were just part of her plot to get free!"

"Shut up," he scoffed, gazing up and making the man step back. "I've had enough with your lies. You promised that not only would I receive the money but I would also be able to speak with my colleagues in death. It appears she's already granted what I really wanted. Of course, I would've never taken the deal if I knew she could do this on free will."

The German man continued to shout in anger, shaking his head in trying to persuade him out of it. Instead, in the shadows, Kenshin thought for a moment, realizing that it had just been a ploy all along. He knew he was hired for something, and money didn't seem like it was the cause the moment he heard of it. Sanosuke stared on for him, hearing to the conversation going on and determining that Aoshi wasn't falling for it. The German leader murmured something in the side of his mouth to one of his troops, grinning to make it seem like nothing. However, what Aoshi did not see was that officer go back behind the lines, waving up to someone who was sitting in a tree. Sanosuke nudged Kenshin in the shoulder, pointing up to the sniper aiming his sights for Aoshi.

"Should we do something?" he asked, Kenshin shaking his head.

"This is his doing, that it is. We should not get involved," he whispered back, watching to what would occur next.

The sniper silently loaded the gun, waiting a few moments to see if the native man would notice. Seeing that he didn't, he put the gun up to his shoulder, putting his finger up to the trigger and waiting for the right moment. He had him in his sights, preparing to fire at any moment to blow out his head. He stalled, though, the officer who informed him looking up, wondering why he was stalling. The officer could see the sniper look up, adjusting the gun away to something else. The man began to tremble in fear, the officer staring over to see nothing. Waving up at him, he whispered in German for him to fire, but yet again he did nothing, shivering in fear to something only he could see. Yelling in fear, he finally shot, the bullet recoiling off the stone wall and back at him at the angle he was at, shooting him straight in the forehead.

The whole army shifted back to see the man fall to the ground, his eyes opened wide in the last terror he would ever face. As the officer who had been standing in back glanced at it, he began shaking as well, lifting the handgun from out of its holster on his belt and aiming at nothing. Suddenly he just shot, the thing ricocheting off the hard wood of the tree and nailing him dead in his wide open mouth.

The leader look to Aoshi, finding that he hadn't moved. He glared in his bravery, finding it sickening to stand there like that with two men now dead without a cause. Getting out the handgun to his side, he aimed it at him, his eyes widening suddenly as he saw something else. Aoshi stared over his shoulder, seeing nothing, but that's not what the leader saw.

Instead, in the German leader's eyes, he saw a little girl, glimpsing at him without eyes and her throat bleeding from where it had been slit. This had been the first death he had ordered, with the girl stepping to the side and standing where he would be directly facing the wall, the girl reaching up without any hands. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a gurgle of blood, exposing her without a tongue with her white dress stained in the red liquid. He screamed in horror, shooting where it would've hit...

If only she had been real.

With this, the bullet came back and hit him in the neck, sending him back and dead instantly. Aoshi just stared on as the remaining troops began shooting wildly, killing themselves and dying in the same way as if they saw something no one else could see.

Kenshin and Sanosuke just gazed on in horror, watching as this massacre took place. Johann just leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, knowing why this was all happening. The dead could not kill, and would not kill, but it was only the guilt and fear of those responsible to died by their own hands. The dead were not doing anything to harm them, but it was only they who did themselves in for one final time.

Kenshin twisted back, however, hearing an eerie voice coming from behind. He stared back quickly, stepping back in almost pure disbelief. Sanosuke looked to where Kenshin was gazing, only to find nothing.

"Kenshin, what's with you?! What's there?" Sanosuke shouted over the gunfire about.

"It...it cannot be..." he gasped, his hands beginning to quiver. Kenshin peered on into the beautiful woman's face, one he had not seen in so long. He knew it couldn't be real, it just couldn't! He had seen her die with his own eyes...But she was there, as real as he could make out to be. Catching a glimpse at her middle, he saw it was bleeding through the material, her frail arms covering it up as she realized he was staring.

"Kenshin...You must come..." she rasped, her image whirling around and running away. All he could do was follow, just up until he saw another person coming up, his past love disappearing to make way for the face he didn't expect to see.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled, coughing in the arising smoke. He thought he would reach her in time to tell her to go back, anger almost reaching him but shock peeking its head when she suddenly stumbled, stopping to hold her midriff where a bullet had just shot...

__

Fate is cruel

People can be such tools

Life can be a bizarre kit

Only if you believe it...

Lenore wandered around the room, her being twirling about as she laughed her way into insanity, unwilling to take this much longer. All the voices, all the lies, all the deaths; she just couldn't take it any longer. So many wanted to enter her now, to take her shape and fight like a human without all these petty escapes in the killer's mind. No matter what she said, no matter how much she tried to get rid of them, they still crowded the door into her head, stuffing the door so much that it blocked a passage in or out. In her dizziness, she fell to her knees, her head flinging back and forth as some managed to get by.

"Wow, what a lovely room! Shut up, wench! Excuse me but that's not aBig deal get a life laOh stop it both of yoCram it, biProper manners, people, propWhy don't you goI've had it up to here with all youBoo woo! Go find your own mSHUT UP!!!!"

She screamed, gripping her head with no sign of getting out of it. Lenore stood up, going to the window in hearing the gunshots outside. Opening the shutters, she witnessed all the spilling of blood, knowing why all these spirits were coming to her now. But why? Why wouldn't they just leave her alone? They were gaining their revenge, why did they want her body now?

Something gripped her heart, making her feet move without her will. She stepped up onto the window seat, another mind taking over where she would've stepped back, spreading out her arms. With another sprawl of her consciousness, he body had no way of staying up, falling forward and out the window...

Aoshi looked up, hearing a scream from out of the commotion, and seeing the pale-faced young lady fall from the highest window, gaining control and speeding over, catching her before she reached the ground and ran off to where it was safe.

Coming to an area where the gunshots were a faded thing in the distance, he put her down and set her against the tree, seeing her unconscious state again. But as she was still, she just awoke again, a certain glaze to her eyes. He kneeled down, waving a hand over her eyes to get her attention. When she looked, she scrambled back in surprise, not believing her eyes.

"Aoshi!" she breathed, shaking her head.

"Can you remember anything that happened to you?" he asked.

"I remember...running through a cloud of smoke...Then seeing Kenshin and...Kenshin! Where is he, where's Kenshin?!"

He blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Who are you this time?" he asked.

"My name is...Kaoru. Now where's Kenshin, I have to get back to him!"

Shaking his head, he took her hand, making her look down to rip it away, this new woman in Lenore's body, now just noticing her new shape.

"This...this isn't my hand!" she shouted, shaking her head.

"No, its not. And your not you," he stated, standing up. "You're dead."

__

Cry if it may

Fight for what they say

Right or wrong

Weak or strong

It is totally up to you...

Kenshin held the fading Kaoru in his arms, her being gone for some time now. Sanosuke had collapsed next to him in doubt, shaking his head that she was actually...Johann did nothing, said nothing, and did not wan to get involved any more than he had to. He did give a look of sympathy towards all of them, but besides that there was nothing he could do. All he could manage to achieve was to sit and wait for the last gunshot to be fired, heading out to find Lenore after. Unless, of course, in the lesser way of putting it, he wanted to end up like Kaoru.

On the other side of the field, the woman inside Lenore's body shook her head, grabbing his arm in pleading to tell her that it wasn't true. For once in his life, he actually felt sorry for her, taking out the kodachi from his side and holding it up to her face, telling her to look at her eyes. It was in that moment she knew it was true, that she had died and was now in the foreigner girl's body. All she could do was sit there and face the facts as they were presented to her, Aoshi feeling weak for his sympathy but kneeling down again anyway.

"If you cannot see it now I don't know what else to say," he stated.

"No...I understand...But how, how could this happen to me?!"

"Face the facts, lady. It just happens. It was an accident, and now you wandered into the girl's body for comfort, to know that you could be real again. Isn't that the way every spirit feels, to say things they didn't get to say in the real world?" He put and hand on her forehead, staring deep into her eyes. "I'm sorry for this...but it must be done! My friends, if you are still there, I have one last request. I am the one who has caused this woman so much pain, to give her the amount of opium she could not handle, thus receiving all these spirits. Please, protect this young lady in life from getting any more, to let her live her life as a normal person would."

Her eyes softened, appearing as though she would come back normally. Instead, her hand reached up, grabbing his wrist and glaring at him with a hard expression, in fact being her own.

"There is...one last thing I must...do before my gift is...vanquished from me!" she hissed, taking his hand away. She stood up, leaning up against the tree for support as her eyes rolled back, asking for someone he wasn't quite sure of. But she could not get it to come, somehow hearing a message in her own head. She balled her fists to this, tilting her head to the sky and shouting. "Miss Kaoru! If you hear me...listen good! Your needed here! They don't want you to go...and there has been a volunteer to help you come back! So please, go back to your body! I'll meet you there!"

She picked up her shirt, stumbling up the steep, slippery hill the best she could. He just couldn't stand there and do nothing, seeing her intent yet struggle to just get up that hill. With it, he said nothing, but swept her up off her feet and began to run back to the battlefield.

When he raced past it in seeing them standing there with the Battousai kneeling in his weakness, the blood stained on the ground kicked up onto his white coat, but he didn't care. Sanosuke saw him coming, but made no move to fight when he saw Lenore in his arms, setting her down where she stood there and gazed. Her heart pained to see such an ache not only in death, but also in the one who remained in life. She could hear him whisper about the one in his arms and yet mention the one from before, who she had tried to speak to just a moment ago.

"Not again...Please, not again..." he whispered, holding her tighter in his grasp.

Lenore slowly approached him, kneeling down beside him. He moved his eyes up to see who it was, surprised that it was her, the one they had come for in the first place. She rotated her head up again, as if listening for something and nodding her head, soon gazing to him. She put a hand on his shoulder, smiling softly.

"Tell me...Kenshin Himura...What kind of person are you? Are you one to take things as they are, one to seek denial...or one who believes in miracles?" She sighed, putting a hand on Kaoru's closed eyes. "That bullet was not meant for her...And I'm sure...someone will reconsider...So what are you...Hitokiri Battousai?"

"I...I..." he tried to say, his throat tightening. "I am...Kenshin Himura...and I am one to believe in chance...In miracles."

"Good," she said, taking his hand. Her face turned serious, shutting her eyes. "I have...someone who...will help her soul find its way back...But you are the only one with her memories to...show me how...All we can do...is pray...and have faith that this will succeed..."

__

My friend's, listen closely,

For this is in no sense choosey.

Death is but a part of life,

Caressed in a sense of spite.

To those who see it fate,

will only suffer hate.

For those who see it real,

will have it for a shield.

However...

For those who see it truth,

take this rhyme

and **see** its true

That they did not die

but think they are shy

and wait for your return home...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N Is this long enough? Five pages!!!! If that's not long enough well...oh well...But as for the confusing-ness I apologize. I've been doing these things any time I can *coughcoughmidnightcoughcough* ^_^ If you can't tell, I'm just a **_little_** tired, seeing as how I just heard on the radio 'GOOD MORNING!' Usually I wouldn't be this crabby...Yeah, I know....Sleeeeeeeep....But I can't help it. Day off...must type...uh...*collapses off from chair. Gets back up to explain.* Oh, and as for those things in between, just a spur of the moment kinda thing to go along with it...Confused? OF COURSE YOU ARE! But if you want me to explain then just ask and I'll do it in the beginning of the next chapter...Right now...*yawns* It's really really really really really early...must...get...sleep...*falls off chair again.*


	8. The Voyage Home

The Voyage Home

__

'Kaoru...Kaoru Kamiya...Is that right?'

__

'Yes, that's me...Who are you?'

__

'My name...has been lost for years now...It's certainly of no importance now...What's important is that you go back...Your time will come...but not now...I see at this moment...that Kenshin needs you...'

__

'Kenshin?!'

'Yes...His whole life he had been living in regret...whether anyone noticed or not...But when he found you he found something else...whether he wanted to admit it or not...Kaoru Kamiya, you're not gone...but lingering in a decision...What is that decision?'

"Kenshin, your blade," Lenore suddenly said, taking her hand and holding it out to him. He just stared at her, puzzled. "I'll summon for a doctor, but since we _have_ no doctoring utensils I'm going to have to use something else. Yours is the only one that's not lethal from the right side, which, apparently, I'm going to have to use to extract the bullet."

Kenshin understood then, quickly unsheathing it and handing it to her. Her eyes only slightly rolled then, a heavy foreign-accented person coming to light. The person now within her just sat there, raising an eyebrow to the sword.

"A sword? A _sword_? Vat are you shinking?!" Her head snapped back, her face turning angry with her normal spirit. "Just do I old man!" It fell forward again, rolling her eyes. "Fine. You know, back in old country we didn't use such shings, we had _proper_ utensils at _proper_ time!" Lenore moved the sword over to where the wound was, lightly putting the sword in it and fiddling around until the bullet could be seen at the top of the skin. When it was out just enough to grab, the person made use of Lenore's fingernails and plucked it out, taking the sword back and staring at the weapon for a moment. "My, my...Dis vould have killed her..."

"How is she doc?" Sanosuke asked after the silence they faced while holding their breath.

"Like I said, she vould have died...If it hadn't hit her rib..."

They all stood back slightly, shocked on how ironic that was. Almost _too_ ironic. Kenshin held her up as Lenore ripped the extra part of the sleeves, rolling it up and putting it over the hole while the other half she wrapped around to keep it there. The person inside Lenore shrugged, sitting back.

"Ack, I've seen veirder! But you should get her to a specialized doctor soon, or else she'll die of blood loss!" She threw back her head again, bringing it forward with a blink and back to her normal self. Lenore looked to Kaoru, seeing that she wasn't waking up.

"So now what do we do?" Sanosuke questioned.

"We wait...It's all we can do..."

And so they did. They waited...And waited...And waited...With each passing moment grew another feeling of doubt, and with every unsure emotion Lenore could see Kenshin shake from within. She wouldn't expect him, of all people, the former manslayer, to have such a caring and worried soul. To anyone who had not experienced the brink of death and to see one you loved die with nothing you could do, they would just think he was as calm as he had ever been. But to someone who had gone through the same circumstances...she almost broke down and cried because of it. She didn't care if it stung her face beyond what she could stand; the wound in her heart had punctured through from the scar it had been from this. If it was too late, that Kaoru had lost too much blood, the memories of her parents just might resurface within her after all, no matter how much she tried to forget it.

She saw Kenshin's hands grow nimble in his arising fear that he might actually lose her, shutting her eyes. Lenore's eye twitched in almost anger to this, wondering why she was taking so long. It almost came to the point where she'd promise revenge on the girl for being so careless and trying to follow Kenshin into the battle, only to get herself shot and cause harmful sadness to the rest of them. Of course she knew it wasn't her fault entirely, but at the moment she had to think of something else.

Kenshin shut his eyes with the sting coming to them, somehow, in some strange way, warm tears coming to the sides of his eyes. He ignored them, however, disregarding the pain and keep an eye out to when she would wake up.

__

'Who are you...?'

__

'Kaoru Kamiya...Come with me...'

A warm glow seemed to entrance her, something taking her hand an pulling her along. It was foggy, like it was the dead of night but unable to feel the ground, when suddenly a cold chill came. In a moment, she saw her own face, like a mirror which she could step into, and all was dark again. She felt heavy, ache coming back like a flood, struggling to open her eyes that felt glued shut.

Kenshin loosened his grip when he felt movement in his arms, seeing the sparkling brown eyes shine up like precious stones in his heart. Her face seemed confused, Kaoru asking what had happened, and all he did was smile. She blushed slightly when he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.

"Miss Kaoru...I'm glad you're safe..." Kenshin proclaimed.

"Kenshin, I thought..."

He smiled, shaking his head and pulling away. "You came back...Lenore helped us. She said she had someone to show you the way."

"Yes, yes I did." She smiled, gazing over to her. She opened her mouth to say her thank you, but she stopped, surprised that Lenore now stood, staring off into nothing.

"Aoshi..." she whispered inaudibly. Bowing her head, she continued in thought. '_Live well..._'

Kenshin stood, helping Kaoru to her feet as well. "Miss Lenore? Are you feeling well?" Kaoru asked.

She looked to them, smiling as she nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. But _you_ on the other hand should stay off your feet!" She pointed to Kenshin, putting her other hand on her hip. "And _you_, sir, are going to be the one to carry her back to the dojo!"

Kaoru grinned jokingly, seeing Kenshin's embarrassed face. "Alright, my knight in shining armor, you heard what the lady said!"

Kenshin lifting her up off her feet under her knees, planning on carrying her. Johann laughed, seeing Sanosuke's faced blue from where he was holding his breath at whole entire time to see what would happen and slapping him on the back, making him breath again. Of course, he almost knocked him to the ground with just the pat, but at this moment in time Sanosuke wasn't going to make a fight out of it, figuring they'd just settle it back at the school. Lenore, as the rest walked on, looked back, her heart skipping a beat for a moment when she noticed something was wrong. She did not bother to inform the others because they had enough stress on their hands, but only took a breath and bowed her head in respect. As she stepped back slowly, she twirled around and ran after them in a hurry, smiling all the while so they wouldn't suspect a thing.

And what, may you ask, did she so find upsetting? Not only would no one would have known they had been there, but no one would ever known something had happened there. For the massacre that had once been was no more, the blood soaked clean, and the bodies gone as if they had been dust in the wind...

***

Another week went by and not another disappearance was issued. The police still hadn't figured out how or why they had occurred, but after awhile it didn't seem like they would find the answers out. Even though things had gone well in the dojo ever since, they were all surprised to hear that the immigrants would just be moving again, over to America this time. They said it would be best, knowing they had caused enough trouble as it was just being there and not wanting something like that to happen again. Though Kaoru insisted they did not pay, they did anyway to what would be equal of a thousand Yen, Yahiko happy to take it off her hands if she didn't want it. Of course, he wouldn't try something like that again, or else she threatened to cut back his meals for a week.

On the day they were to leave, Lenore caught Kenshin outside with the laundry, kneeling next to him to talk. It was very small talk for a moment, comments about how nice of a day it was and such, Lenore thinking of how to put what she was thought. Knowing she wouldn't have forever, she shrugged, sighing depressed.

"Is there something on your mind, Miss Lenore?" Kenshin asked.

She nodded. "Yes, there is...You know, I wasn't the one who helped Kaoru back. Surely I might have summoned a doctor for help, but I myself...What I mean is..."

He blinked, looking up with a expression of confusing. "What is it?"

"I was not the one who helped her find her way back...It...It was someone else."

He smiled, turning back to the laundry. "Well, if you ever do hear from them again, please send them my thanks."

"See...That's the thing..." She bit her lip, wondering how he would take it. Scratching the top of her head, she continued. "She already _knows_..."

Kenshin stopped, gazing to her once again. She grinned embarrassedly, feeling scared for bring it up. Even if he wouldn't hurt anyone now, she was just afraid he'd kill over because of it. Mentally he'd be fine, but psychologically...Just a few weeks ago he almost lost it and this wouldn't exactly help him recover, but would probably send him into shock or something. But it wasn't exactly something she could go to the grave with, because this was his information to know.

"Who knows and what exactly _do_ they know?" he laughed in question, not really understanding what she was getting at.

She only smiled. "Now I see why. You seem so calm, and really have found peace with your past...haven't you?"

He raised an eyebrow, his face no longer wearing a smile but with narrow eyes in thought. "What do you mean?"

"I guess this isn't going to get any easier..." she mumbled, smiling. "All she wants...is you to be happy...What you probably did not notice...was the time between the time I spoke to Sanosuke...off and on...She was _me_..."

His eyes widened, astonished by this statement. If she hadn't been her the whole time, then who exactly had she been? Who was this _she_ Lenore was referring to?

"What I'm trying to say is...is...She knows you've found your home again, and she helped bring Kaoru back...because she knew you'd be happy..."

"Miss Lenore, how can I know who you speak of when I have no idea who this she is..."

"Have you forgotten so easily...? But I suppose it has been ten years so..." She leaned over, putting her mouth close to whisper in his ear. "Tomoe, Kenshin...She is the _she_ who saved the one you love so much..."

Kenshin's eyes became enlarged, growing still as if his heart had just stopped. Willing to bring him out of it, she shrugged, leaving back.

"She witnessed how much you felt for Kaoru when I invited her to use my body for a day or two, which transitioned the day I was looking at the ivy on the wall. You see, I already knew who you were, Kenshin, from the moment I brushed by you without notice. I purposely kept it so you wouldn't know, my little mind not wanting anyone to know about anything about me at the time. But notice, that the time before I was overdosed I avoided you more so. We both agreed to switch the day there were razors in the food, but the only problem was neither of us could remember what the other did a moment before!" She laughed, seeing he just continued to stare and stop. "Umm...But anyway, the time I had the opium I couldn't control who came into my mind, making her unable to come back at the time. When I finally regained who I could bring back, I asked her if she wanted to come and say her goodbyes, seeing how...how I would no longer to be able to bring anyone back. I had too much opium that I myself almost died from it, so having spirits come back is no longer a notion...But even if that was so, she refused for some reason. I asked her why and she only said...'Now's not the time for goodbyes, but for a welcome home.' She said she didn't want you to know until I told you, because it would probably bring back too many hurtful memories. All she wanted was for you to be happy, and that's exactly what has become of it." Lenore looked up, smiling to the sky. "She knows how you are Kenshin, whether you want to admit it or not. If you are still concerned in regret about your past, then there is one thing you no longer have to wear as a burden. She said that she forgave you a long time ago, and was never doubtful in the first place. Now that she saw how hard you tried to redeem yourself, she asked me specifically to say this, so hopefully you'll take note of it. Just never change from the good person you are Kenshin."

She stood, taking the last piece of laundry that had been in his hands for a while and sticking it up on the clothesline, bringing him out of his state of shock. Patting him on the shoulder, she said that it was time for her to leave. Lenore walked on to the dinner room where she knew Johann was waiting, sliding the door open. Blinking in surprise, however, she slapped her forehead, calculating that this would eventually happen.

Sanosuke slapped down another shot of the drink, glaring at Johann in contempt. Johann poured another shot out of the almost empty gallon jug, taking a swig and slamming it down, glaring as well. They didn't even seem to notice she was standing there, watching as this act to stupidity took place. As Sanosuke drunk down another little glass, his face turned a bit tipsy. Then again, who could blame him, with about eighty shot glasses on his side of the table. Johann laughed, crossing his arms.

"Had enough, puny one?" he mocked, Sanosuke's face turning hard.

"It's only just begun!" he countered, Johann taking another glass and sipping it down.

"What did you call this again?" he asked, Sanosuke gulping in a bit of distaste.

"Saki! The strongest stuff in the world!" he said with pride, Johann taking the bottle and looking at it closely.

"Saki, eh? Ha! Not as strong as the stuff we have back home! It's called oozo, and supposedly it tastes like black liquorish. Then again, I don't eat candy, so I wouldn't exactly know."

"Stop stalling! Let's finish this!" he shouted, slamming his fists on the table.

Johann was about to pour another shot, but suddenly the bottle was grabbed from him, both staring up to who would dare do such a thing. They backed down, though, when they saw it was Lenore, gazing at the liquid through the top. Sanosuke's face turned annoyed, looking a bit more drunk than angry.

"Come on, missy! We need to finish this like real men should!"

"Real men?" she grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Are you saying native women can't drink as much as you guys can?"

"No way! No woman has ever been able to finish off a third of a saki bottle! They can hardly stand one glass!"

"Uh-huh...That might be a bit of over exaggeration, seeing how anyone could probably drink more than _one _small glass even if it is strong, but whatever you say," she smiled, staring at it again. Putting her hands on her hip, she stared at Johann scolding. "Now see here! I don't want a drunk bodyguard and making a fool out of himself on the boat ride over the Pacific!"

"But Lenore! I'm fine, see? Now please, give back the bottle so we can finish this," he pleaded but she only backed up when he reached for it again.

"No way! This is just stupid, having a match like this to prove who's better!"

Sansuke sneered, shrugging. "Guess this means I won!"

"Now see here! We agreed to see who would pass out first before we finished the _whole_ bottle! The bottle isn't empty yet, so it must be a draw!"

"Yeah, but who's to say when you leave I don't finish it off?"

"That's not right! Uncalled for!" Johann shouted back, both standing up and beginning to growl with their fists on the table.

Lenore rolled her eyes, seeing this was going no where with a boat to catch. Lifting the bottle up, she knew it couldn't be that bad, and began to drink it. Johann and Sanosuke looked on in awe, seeing her gulp it down like it wasn't anything at all. As she swallowed the last drop, she threw her head back forward from where it had been tilted up, smiling as she wiping her mouth with her sleeve and tossed the bottle to Sanosuke, who could barely catch it in the first place.

"You two are just sissies. It isn't anything like pure, one hundred percent vodka! I think the time I had it they put turpentine in it to give it that extra kick, but only once. The rest of the time once in a while I had that weak stuff but umm...Well, maybe just a bit more at parties..." She smiled, rubbing the back of her head. As she saw their expression, she shrugged. "What? You were expecting me to pass out or something? _Please_..." Lenore turned back, stepping out to collect her stuff in her room.

Sanosuke sat back down, a feeling of doubt still sticking with him. He huffed, turning his head to the side as to not admit he was beaten by a girl in a matter of seconds. "Alright...Let's just call it a draw," he stated, Johann laughing as he shook his head and paced out to get back to his room as well.

Quite a few minutes later, they came back to the entrance to offer their goodbyes. Lenore gave Kaoru her dress, saying that it was the least she could do for giving her the new clothes from the tailor shop. Even if she didn't want it, she said she could just sell it off for rainy day money, for it would probably catch a fair price around there. Kaoru, of course, disagreed, saying that she would never sell it because of its beauty, and it was most likely it was worth more than what people would offer. The residence of the dojo, however, decided that they just couldn't let them go back to the port all by themselves, so went with them as well. Even if it only took a few minutes to get there, they found that the boat still had not come yet, so took a spot on a few benches as travels past, waiting and enjoying the conversation as time went on.

Yahiko had asked if she could only tell about the past from all the things she saw, and she only responded with a maybe. This brought question to his head and began to pester, Lenore feeling mischievous this day and decided to toy with him a bit. To wouldn't cause him too much fright, but with his arrogance they all knew he deserved it.

"So, were those really ghosts possessing you?" he questioned, crossing his arms.

"Ghosts...No, not ghosts. More like revengeful spirits. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. I was just wondering if there were any enemies I knew that just might happen to pop up!" he laughed, finding it stupid to even say that. But his laugh faded when she put her hands on his shoulders, smiling eerily.

"I don't know...who's to say I'm Lenore at all? Who's to say I was her this whole time, but a different person just plotting in revenge for your death?!" she began to laugh like she was insane or something, Yahiko jumping up in fear and running back, his eyes wide like his heart was about to stop. As she shook her head, she leaned back and laughing like she would normally again. The rest laughed as well when they saw the joke, Yahiko narrowing his eyes and putting his hands behind his head to act calm.

"Huh, very funny. Hey, I wasn't scared at all!"

"Sure you weren't, little Yahiko!" Johann chuckled, the rest beginning to crack up in knowing the inside joke.

Yahiko gritted his teeth, clenching his fists as he began to shot. "I am _not_ little!"

Sanosuke had finally gotten over that light drunkenness and could think straight, imaging for a moment that if she could see the lives of the past, would she be able to see the future as well? This drove him to ask her, and she just smiled, shrugging.

"What is to be now, yes. What can be, no. See, the future is a very thickly subject, because you can never truly know what will happen. Everything changes, up to the very millisecond we make our decision. We were intended to have choice, after all, so in the situation where you could kill someone, who's to say you will? Who's to say that you'll be healthy one day and end up sick the next because you went swimming when it was colder than usual? Who's to say someone won't strike you down at this very moment for no particular reason at all? But, to the point of what you have done and continuing on what you would call a path, then your future is somewhat vaguely seen."

"Alright," Yahiko challenged, rolling up his sleeves and grinning. "Tell me what my future is!"

She chortled, smiling as she reached her hand out and put it on his forehead. It faded, though, when she blinked, beginning to see something. Lenore could almost swear it was real when she heard a large rumble, sounding like an engine but coming from _above_, hearing a whistling noise coming after. Screams flooded the area until a loud explosion echoed, seeing scraps of wood splintering about. She saw many fall before her feet, but out of it all saw one particular group. It was an older man with some gray hairs in the dark brown of his hair, kneeling down to help another woman up. Two younger people, looking to be siblings from the way they acted towards the elder couple, helped her up as well, scattering off into the massive crowd that flushed by, explosion continuing about.

Lenore blinked, seeing Yahiko's grinning face from where it had been unchanged. She smiled normally, trying not to worry them, and took her hand away.

"So, what did you see?" he questioned.

"Well, Yahiko, you marry a lovely young woman with brown hair and brown eyes and become a father of two children, both boys," she answered, not really going so far from the truth.

"Cool," he stated. "Boys are better than girls anyway!"

"What did you say?" Kaoru began, glaring.

"Oh, nothing," he lied, snickering as he put his hands behind his head again.

"So, can you see if the Meiji Era will last forever? Will there be another revolution?" Sanosuke asked, her smile fading with her head looking to the ground.

She shook her head, shutting her eyes in seeing the images from before. "Nothing lasts forever. Whether to be replaced by one or end up to be nothing at all, this Era which you live in shall end, as every empire has ended one time or another. Many more people than in this small revolution shall die, and in just one swipe of a hand as well..."

Kenshin stared, wondering how anything could be like it had been again. He even asked if there was a way to change it, and she just shook her head. Lenore did not want to say much, but only replied that it was one of those things that was bound to happen, one time or another. Smiling in reassurance, however, she continued joyfully.

"But you shouldn't be too concerned about much. These things won't happen for many decades to come, I assure you! Just live life...as if every day was your last..."

Johann stood, seeing out of all of them their ship disembark. For the last time, the foreigners who had arrived but a few months ago said their goodbyes. But even as they disappeared into the approaching sunset, their visit would always be remembered, and the last words she spoke of living life like every day was your last would stick with them for the rest of their lives...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N I apologize if you wanted this to go on more, but I've been so stressed with school and grades and PROJECTS that I thought I might let my sibling have the computer! ^_^ Anyway, I hoped you liked it, even if it was short, thank you all for reviewing, and please review!


End file.
